"/Anyone out there have a MkIV/?"
My daily driver is a 2000 Jetta GLS 1.8t. It is essentially dead stock;
I bought it three and a half years ago as a low-miler, and have run it
into a high-miler. Last week I needed to make an emergency trip from
here (Wisconsin) to Ohio, about 450 miles each way. I crossed the
196,000 mile mark on the way down, and put about 1230 miles on, total.
I've replaced the original (plastic impeller, which broke) water pump
with a retrofitted iron impeller one, and swapped the alternator for a
used one, and had the original rebuilt. I have replaced spark plugs,
belts twice, tires, head-and taillight bulbs, oil & air filters, the
battery, and front pads, while racking up almost 120,000 miles, driving
it hard, including through our winters. EVERYTHING else on the car is
original (shocks, struts, rear pads, rotors, strut bearings, exhaust,
tie rods, ball joints, hoses, clutch, wheel bearings, CVs . . . the
works. It now _needs_ shocks/struts and rear bushings for trailing
arms, but I'd call that damned good life. I got a thick stack of
paperwork when I bought it showing every service that the original owner
had had done, down to topping up fluids - there was one set of tires
while she had it, as the biggest maintenance item. She also swapped the
radio for one that suited her ears better. The only "modification" I've
made was to disable the daytime running lights, permitting use of
flashing or turning them off and back on to signal (especially to let
truckers know it's safe to come into the lane). Yes, I'd buy another,
without qualms.
My '87 GTi 16v is still sitting in the yard awaiting time to deal
with a failed clutch and some engine gremlins. I've also got an '83 or
'84 GTi 8v awaiting an engine swap (have the correct GTi engine to put
in, but not the time). I'd like to get it on the road with Collector
plates.
And, I am very happy to see the 16v GTi list back in business! I'll
also add a vote for publishing the continuing adventures of Mr. Yip and
his General Li. Oddly, I thought of him Saturday when I saw a
restaurant on Reading Rd. in Cincinnati called "Uncle Yip's". I've even
got a photo to prove it.
Ron
